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Winners announced at Muswellbrook Local Art Awards

> Competition winners

> See opening night photos

Last Saturday night over 150 people attended the opening of the Muswellbrook Local Art Awards for 2009. The event was hosted by the Mayor of Muswellbrook Shire Cr Martin Rush who introduced the array of guests for the evening including the official adjudicator Virginia Mitchell, Director of Cessnock Regional Art Gallery, Sarah Withall, Manager of Environment and External Affairs for the major sponsors of the Art Awards, Mt Arthur Coal and the Curator of the accompanying exhibition Juliet Fowler-Smith. While most attention was focused on the Art Awards the Williams River Valley Artists’ Project created a lot of interest with not only the installation art work itself but with a number of members of the No Tillegra Dam Group present at the opening collecting petition signatures and informing the crowd of the issues involved for the Dungog community.

The night was very successful, especially for the female artists who had entered the competitions with only a handful of prizes going to the men. Another pleasing aspect of the opening was the number of works which were sold on the night. “This is a terrific outcome for any artist, to have a work so admired by someone that they are willing to purchased that work and take it into their home” said Brad Franks, Arts Centre Manager. Mr. Franks continued “The high quality of entries this year meant that the judge, Virginia Mitchell, had a very difficult but rewarding time making her decisions. It was interesting to note that those decisions were very popular with the opening night crowd. This high quality of work also means that there are many more works that I’m sure members of the public would love to own, so make sure you get along to the Arts Centre and have a look”.  

The Muswellbrook Local Art Awards 2009, accompanied by the Williams River Valley Artists’ Project in the Centre Court Gallery and a selection of small sculptures from the Max Watters Collection entitled Steel in the Max Watters Gallery will continue on exhibition until Sunday 29th November 2009.

Murrurundi artist Rodney Swansbrough with his drawing Red Hot Pokers